Until last night I’d not bothered to watch any of the televised presidential campaign “debates” from either party. I just haven’t cared enough to listen to what I know will be repeated thousands of times between now and November. Besides, I’m an independent in a caucus state. I’ll have no say on the candidates until then.
But last night, tired of the wall-to-wall Super Bowl coverage we’re getting here in Denver, I had the Republican debate on in the background while working on my laptop. And because I wasn’t paying close attention, I thought at first I’d missed something when I heard Marco Rubio repeat himself. Once? Twice? Maybe it was a replay or something …
Nope. Rubio did repeat himself, virtually verbatim, four different times in the course of the evening. (Actually that would be an initial statement with three repetitions.)
Until now I’d mostly thought of Rubio as that glib young Republican who reached so awkwardly for a water bottle during his response to Obama’s State of the Union address in 2013. Couldn’t get that image out of my head. Well, it’s gone now. It’s been replaced by Mr. Roboto.
I’ve watched the debates off and on (more off than on). Thing is, I despise Trump so much that I just cannot tolerate him even for just a couple minutes. I started watching the debate in IA since Trump wasn’t in it, but didn’t last very long. I get so tired of the hatred they all have.
When they start saying something of substance, I’ll start listening. For now they’re all just spouting soundbites and attacks on each other.
Styx might have to sue Rubio. 😉
You’ve aroused my curiosity blooper, the Styx you refer to, I know of the river which I shall be crossing ere long, and back in the 1940’s and 1950’s there was a, brilliant to say the least, English cartoonist that drew under the name ‘Styx’, but your Styx eludes me ❓
😀
“Mr. Roboto” has been going through my mind today … one of the better Styx hits of the conceptual stuff they did … or at least one that doesn’t make me want to shoot the radio. 😉
And apparently someone had the same idea, and has done a “Marco Roboto” parody already. Oh lord …
This parody? Somebody put a lot of work into that, writing the lyrics (posted below the video) and getting the video up in less than a day.
Oh, yeah! Cracked me up 😉
Just for reference:
Lyrics to the song by Styx:
“Mr. Roboto”
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto [どうもありがとうミスターロボット],
Mata au hi made [また会う日まで]
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto [どうもありがとうミスターロボット],
Himitsu wo shiri tai [秘密を知りたい]
You’re wondering who I am (secret secret I’ve got a secret)
Machine or mannequin (secret secret I’ve got a secret)
With parts made in Japan (secret secret I’ve got a secret)
I am the modren man
I’ve got a secret I’ve been hiding under my skin
My heart is human, my blood is boiling, my brain I.B.M.
So if you see me acting strangely, don’t be surprised
I’m just a man who needed someone, and somewhere to hide
To keep me alive, just keep me alive
Somewhere to hide, to keep me alive
I’m not a robot without emotions. I’m not what you see
I’ve come to help you with your problems, so we can be free
I’m not a hero, I’m not the saviour, forget what you know
I’m just a man whose circumstances went beyond his control
Beyond my control. We all need control
I need control. We all need control
I am the modren man (secret secret I’ve got a secret)
Who hides behind a mask (secret secret I’ve got a secret)
So no one else can see (secret secret I’ve got a secret)
My true identity
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, domo…domo
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, domo…domo
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto,
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto,
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto,
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto,
Thank you very much, Mr. Roboto
For doing the jobs that nobody wants to
And thank you very much, Mr. Roboto
For helping me escape just when I needed to
Thank you, thank you, thank you
I want to thank you, please, thank you
The problem’s plain to see:
Too much technology
Machines to save our lives.
Machines dehumanize.
The time has come at last (secret secret I’ve got a secret)
To throw away this mask (secret secret I’ve got a secret)
Now everyone can see (secret secret I’ve got a secret)
My true identity…
I’m Kilroy! Kilroy! Kilroy! Kilroy!
I’m hoping this will be the final straw that kills those calls for Rubio to step into a brokered convention and be the “reasonable” candidate…
😯
They have a reasonable candidate?
No, but some have been saying that Rubio would be, compared to Trump and Cruz…
Admittedly Trump and Cruz are in a class by themselves.
I certainly hope so…
😛
Hate to say it but I’ve watched most of the debates. I’ve become a political junkie, alas. The principal value I’ve found in them is, I think, a sense of the personality and style of each candidate. Facts on the GOP side are in short supply and the demagoguery thick. The few Democratic debates have been markedly respectful in comparison, although perhaps that’s to be expected considering that the historically high number of candidates makes it a contest of sound bites as each tries to get attention. Trump obviously understood this better than the others from the beginning. I predict he won’t fare well, one on one, and Hillary will clean his clock. He’s an empty suit on real knowledge.
As for Rubio, I think you’ve got his number. He’s very high on ambition and low on substance and character. Kasich is good on substance and generally looks like the adult in what’s otherwise a Romper Room of buffoons. IMO.
I’ve long been a political junkie. But they started this campaign so early, I was afraid I’d burn out if I started watching too closely. Even so, the coverage has been unavoidable and I have been getting some sense of the styles and personalities. Can’t say I like any of them right now. (I was starting to like Rand Paul, but he dropped out, as did O’Malley.) I hope we’ll see more substance by the time we get to the conventions. It’s a Romper Room for sure, on both sides of the fence.
Kasich seems to be the only one left who at least attempts to thwart the moderators obvious intention to pressure the candidates into criticizing their opponents. The others act like junior high school students running for president of the student council and who believe that tearing down someone else elevates themselves. But I don’t like him either.
And as usual, I’ll be voting for whoever the Libertarians nominate since my vote won’t tip the scales in any direction anyway. And I’ll sleep better.
I agree that Kasich seems like the only adult in the room. And I’m old fashioned enough to think the president should at least be an adult. Not that I could vote for Kasich; he’s still way to conservative for me.
I no longer know what “conservative” means. I used to think it meant fiscally… frugal. Now both sides (liberal and conservative) seem to mean, you have to live the way someone else dictates.
I used to think the same thing. Fiscally frugal. Apparently that concept has gone the way of the dinosaurs. One of many reasons I’m now an independent.